A-Body Mopars are cool...but did you know that A-Bodies like Rod Plott's '73 Plymouth Scamp are an easy and affordable way to get into the Mopar hobby?

That's because Ma Mopar cranked out these hardtops by the tens of thousands way back when--no fewer than 45,000 a year from Scamp's 1971 introduction through 1974, with about 20,000-30,000 more for 1975 and 1976, including the plush Valiant Brougham two-door hardtops, which joined the Valiant line in mid-1974.

2/6

Out of those thousands, one particular '73 Scamp was sold new in Colorado, and had traveled only 91,000 miles before Rod saw it listed for sale on eBay. "It was a grocery getter when I got it, and was Honey Gold inside and out--a lazy little grandma's car," he recalls. "When I saw it on eBay, I liked the fact that it looked like it was in good condition. But it had a timing chain that went out on it, so it ended up sitting for a long time."

But the ex–grocery-getter had its good points. "It had the upgrades for 1973, like the front power disc brakes and electronic ignition," says Rod. It also had the new-for-'73 big-bolt-pattern wheels shared with the B- and E-Body cars, Torsion-Quiet Ride chassis rubberization, and ventless door glass.

3/6Goodyear-shod Foose five-spokes fill the fenderwells.

When Rod got his Scamp home, any thought of keeping it 318-powered was quickly forgotten. "I'm a big fan of the '70 Dart Swinger 340," he says, "so that's what I cloned it after. The rear bumper's very similar, and there are other similarities to the Dart." The Scamp is identical to the Swinger from the A-pillars aft--the front sheetmetal, grille, and nameplates are the only visible differences between the Plymouth and Dodge versions.

In order to make a Scamp 340 out of his '73, Rod cured some of the Scamp's age-related ailments, starting with the body. He says that, thanks to its time in Colorado, away from heavily-salted roads, major surgery wasn't needed. "It didn't need to have any sheetmetal replaced," Rod says of the prepaint bodywork, which included rust repair on the lower quarters. "The car was undercoated at the factory."

Though the body was saved, the Scamp's stock powertrain and interior weren't. Because of that, into the engine bay went a 340 with an Edelbrock carburetor and intake. "I tried to get it to be like what the 340 was," says Rod of his '73's potent small-block.

Once done, Rod had a head-turner--one that people knew was a Mopar when they saw it, but they weren't sure which one it was. "A lot of people roll down their windows and ask me questions about it, or ask if it has a Hemi," says Rod. "They've called it everything from a Charger to a Challenger to all kinds of things, but rarely do they get it right."

Rod adds, "Don't forget--good Mopar friends help make every project possible and better!" He gives special thanks to Dale Riley, Ken Gulley, and Travis Gamble for their help on his '73 Scamp 340.